Chair arm



April 7, 1942. E. T. TODD 2,278,749

CHAIR ARMS Fi led Feb. 9; -,1939

'ldwiu 1? 72 14 IQi nesqafi rz fawmz 3M k Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNITEDSTATES ATENT OFFICE CHAIR ARM Edwin T. Todd, Grand Rapids, Micln,assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporationof New Jersey Application February 9, 1939, Serial No. 255,486

' 2 Claims.

adapted for use with chairs of the character shown in my copendingapplications for patents,

Serial Nos. 253,063 and 254,357, respectively,

filed January 27 and February 3, 1939; to provide such a chair arm whichis pivotally connected to the chair frame at the rear end of the armpermitting the arm to be folded upwardly and rearwardly when not in useand downwardly and forwardly when desired for use; to provide such achair arm for a pair of chairs disposed side by side and adapted to befolded rearwardly and upwardly between the seat backs when not in use;and, to provide such a seat which is comfortable in use, simple inconstruction, convenient for folding to positions for use or non-use,and which is economical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a twin chair of a characterparticularly well adapted for installation in motor buses, railwaycoaches or airplanes and showing its middle arm rest in its upwardly andrearwardly folded position between the spaced side by side back supportsof the chair;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the middle arm rest of thetwin chair on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing its spring actuatedfolding mechanism;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the middle arm rest of the chair and itsfolding mechanism, the arm being folded forwardly and downwardly for useand separating the seat portion of the twin chair;

Figure 4 is a perspective fragmentary view of a cap support for thefolding arm; and

Figure 5 is a view of the supporting bracket of the arm support.

Referring then to the drawing wherein like parts of the chair structureshown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, theframe thereof is here shown as comprising a pair of spaced horizontallydisposed members In, H of tubular stock to provide for strength andrigidity at light weight. n

The frame members IO, M are spacedly supported above the floor by frontlegs l2 and rear legs l3, likewise of tubular stock and secured near theends of the front and rear members ID, IL A pair of spaced transverselydisposed members I4, preferably of stamped sheet metal, are each securedto a front frame member l0 and a rear frame member I! at theirrespective ends and in any suitable manner, the member M on the aisleside of the structure supporting the upholstered end armrest |5 of thechair to which it is fixed.

Upholstered backs 16 are each secured in any suitable mannerbetween'their back supports l1 and upholstered seats |8 are. carried .bythe front and rear frame members I0, H to which'they-are fixed in anyconvenient way.-

A middle rear leg I9, here shown as of bowed formation and likewise oftubular construction, is secured intermediate its length to the rearframe member II and medially thereof, providing additional supporttherefor. The upper and rearwardly angularly projecting portion of themiddle leg l9 has va cap 20-telescopically secured thereto which cap isbest shown in Figure 4.

This cap is provided with a rectangular'opening' 2| in its top and theforward side of the cap is provided with a beaded portion 22 to form astop for the purpose hereinafter described.

A middle arm rest 23 for the twin chair disposed interjacent the middleback supports l1 and here shown as upholstered, has a central webportion 24 free of the upholstery along the bottom surface of the rearportion thereof to which is secured a supporting bracket 25 for the armrest.

The outer or bifurcated end of the bracket 25 is provided withoppositely flared beaded portions 26, 21 along its rear width, thebeaded portion 25 forming a stop for the purpose hereinafter describedand the beaded portion 2'! being seated within the semi-circulardepressions 2B of the opposite lengths of the cap 25 which formoppositely disposed bearings therefor. I

A coiled helical contraction spring 29 secured at one end to a rod 30projecting through the upper portion of the tubular rear middle leg l9and its cap 20, extends upwardly through the cap opening 2| and betweenthe bifurcated portions of the arm rest supporting bracket 25 where itis secured at its other end to a rod 3| passing through the bifurcatedportion of the bracket 25 inwardly of its ends.

Operation Since the beaded portions 21 of the middle arm rest supportingbracket 25 are pivotally seated use, the arm may be manually foldedforwardly v and downwardly to the position shown in Figure 3, the stop22 bearing against the under surface of the bracket support 25 forlimiting its downward movement. The helically coiled contraction springthus provides a snap action for the arm support 23 during its foldingmovement.

It is thus seen that the arm rest herein shown and described iscomfortable in use, simple in construction, convenient for folding andis economical in manufacture.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shownand described, it will be understood that certain details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this inven tion as the same is defined by the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A ,chair frame having dual seats and backs disposed side by side inspaced relation, a tubular support disposed between the dual backs andhaving an apertured cap provided with spaced semi-circular depressionsforming arm rest supporting bearings, a folding arm rest having spacedbeads thereon pivotally supported in said bearings, and a coiledcontraction spring secured at one of its ends between the beads andextending between the bearings where it is secured at its other end tothe tubular support for maintaining the arm rest in either raisedposition between the dual backs or in lowered position above the dualseats.

2. A chair frame having dual seats and backs disposed side by side inspaced relation, a tubular .support disposed between the dual backs, ahollow cap secured to the tubular support and having an aperture in thetop thereof, said cap having horizontally aligned semi-circulardepressions in the top on opposite sides respectively of said apertureand forming arm rest supporting bearings, a folding arm rest havingbeads thereon pivotally supported in said bearings respectively, acoiled contraction spring secured at one of its ends to the arm restbeyond its pivotal bearings and extending between said beads and throughthe cap where it is secured at its other end to the tubular support,said spring being movable forwardly of the arm rests pivotal bearingsduring lowering movement of the arm rest for urging the arm rest tolowered position and movable rearwardly of the arm rests pivotalbearings during raising movement of the arm rest for urging the, armrest to raised position, and stops on the cap and the arm rest forlimiting lowering and raising movements of the arm rest.

EDWIN T. TODD.

